


Miles Apart

by LZClotho (LZielinsky)



Series: Twisted Tea [6]
Category: Actor RPF
Genre: F/F, Long Distance Relationship, Missing You, Phone Call, RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25033060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LZielinsky/pseuds/LZClotho
Summary: Kate is in New York working on The Response and Jeri is back in LA working on Shark. Missing her, Kate makes the call.
Relationships: Kate Mulgrew/Jeri Ryan
Series: Twisted Tea [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706776
Comments: 9
Kudos: 23





	Miles Apart

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2010, this is sort of a teaser, short scene, bridging from Whisper their Love to the (as yet unfinished) "If We Can Make It There" (aka "Kate and Jeri's New York adventure"). I'm posting it because, well, I find it a lovely moment of connection between separated lovers.

Kate entered her condo, set the keys on the hook by the door, then turned and set the bolt. Then, the world locked out for the time being, her shoulder slumped and she deeply sighed.

How would she ever keep this up? She threw off her trenchcoat only to pick it up again when she heard the wet slap of the material against the floor. She didn't want to ruin the rugs. Instead she fished a hanger from the closet and spent a few moments adjusting the coat over the padded arms so it wouldn't slip off and left it to dry while dangling from an over-the-door hook instead.

Turning toward the kitchen, in desperate need of something chilled and wet to relieve her parched throat, she felt her booted foot slip against the floor. She looked down, catching her breath, and saw the puddle spreading beneath the dripping coat. Damn.

She entered the bathroom just off the entryway. While debating between a smaller dusky blue hand towel or the thicker, bigger navy blue bathing towel folded on the toiletries rack, Kate caught sight of herself in the mirror. The wind and rain had obviously blown her hair into a snarl, despite taking the time to pin it up in a bun. Her cheeks were red and wind-chapped, and her skin felt tight and gritty. She closed her eyes. The world just all seemed to be mocking her and she wished it wouldn't.

She had come East, moving back into her mothballed condo, to work from while filming The Response at the University of Maryland Law School, Almost immediately after she got the call that one of her auditions had been accepted. She had called Jeri, who told her to stay and do the play, but that was rapidly coming to a close and she was auditioning again.

Today she was certain she had lost another role, to one of the much younger actresses who could be easily aged a little if they were too young for the part.

But nothing would make Kate young again. She was fifty, and she understood that. But she was thousands of miles away from anyone it seemed cared.

While mopping at the floor, she noted on her watch that the time was almost one o'clock in the morning. She spread out the towel to catch the rest of the water, and ran for the bedroom and the phone. She stripped, and pulled on a robe to cover her nakedness, tying the terrycloth belt at her waist. She caught herself in the full length mirror on the walk-in closet door and tried to imagine Jeri in the room with her. She pulled out the pins holding up her hair, untangled most of it with her fingertips, and a bedtime anti-frizz cream combed through took care of the rest.

She sat on the edge of the bed and contemplated the phone. What if she was still on set?

 _It's after ten o'clock_ , her inner voice calculated. Jeri had said that Jimmy – meaning the _Shark_ lead James Woods – always insisted a day's shooting was over by ten. He was a fickle actor, but consummate, and generally got his way.

It would take Jeri about half an hour to drive to her home south of the city.

 _Maybe I can catch her_ , Kate thought, and immediately grabbed the phone and entered the number.

She laid down on the bed staring up at the ceiling as the phone rang through. She wondered what to say. She never liked sounding needy.

“Hello?”

“Jeri.”

“Kate?”

“I miss you,” she said plaintively.

“Oh, Kate, I miss you, too.” Kate heard a sudden choke in Jeri's voice on the other end of the line.

“What's wrong?”

Jeri didn't answer for a long moment, but then said quietly, “It's been a long day.”

Kate closed her eyes and could almost envision, as she heard the noises through the phone, Jeri stripping out of her clothes in the bedroom they shared. “You just got in?”

“Yes. But I was downtown at a meeting with Paula.”

“Your agent? What's up?”

“We got word we've been canceled.”

“No. Oh, no. Jeri, I'm sorry.” Kate's own exhaustion moved aside as worry for her lover surged front and center. “Is production immediately closing down? Or are they letting you finish the season order?”

“We're to finish the current script and close up shop.”

“Shit. I'm sorry.”

“They sent us home early afternoon so the writers could try to rewrite some scenes to give character closure. There were supposed to be three more episodes.”

When Kate ended up extending her East Coast stay they had decided that Jeri would come out to New York at the end of May and bring Alex for his summer vacation. But nothing to do meant the time would weigh heavily. Kate wished she could reach through the phone and hug Jeri.

“Jimmy wanted to go out and party. Instead I went to see Paula, had dinner and a few drinks while we planned strategy.”

“But you just got home.”

“I went down to the beach to cool off with a swim.”

Kate smiled fondly. The beach below Jeri's home was frequently _their_ space too cool off. Or heat up. She recalled making love on one of the rocks which the surf had pounded silk-smooth, and swimming nude with Jeri in the breakers during a night of full moon. “Made you feel better, I bet.”

“Yeah.” She could hear the happiness rising as Jeri too recalled the good memories.

“What about taking a hot bath?” Kate suggested. “Aromatherapy, some meditation?”

“If I took a bath, I'm sure I'd drown. I'm exhausted.”

“Oh.” Kate considered what she would do if she were there. “Are you laying down on our bed?”

“No.”

“Go ahead,” Kate encouraged. “I'll talk you to sleep.”

“Isn't it supposed to be sing me to sleep?”

“Not with my voice, sweetheart, and you know it.” Kate laughed softly. “No, I'm just going to whisper to you. I can't hold you, but at least I can soothe you a little. Or at least try.”

Kate heard the telltale sounds of Jeri readjusting her position. “I miss you, Kate.” Jeri sounded as needy as Kate had not wanted to sound herself.

“Shh, Jeri.” Kate dropped her voice, the timbre registered at barely above a hum. “I'm here.” She pulled a pillow against her own stomach and hugged it. “Can you hear me next to you?”

“Mmm hmm.” Jeri had obviously closed her eyes. A natural side effect of that was she tended to quiet quickly. “Right here.”

“Good. I love you. I really do, you know. You're a remarkable, beautiful woman. You're sweet and sexy. And soft and warm in all the right places. I could hold you forever.” She murmured, “Feel me holding you?”

“Mmm hmm,” Jeri's agreement came out on a long exhale.

“I love feeling your hair tickle my face, the warm weight of your breasts in my palms, the heat of your rear pressed back into my pelvis. We fit together so perfectly, Jeri.”

“Ohh.”

“Oh?” Kate questioned. That hadn't been the response she expected. It sounded a little startled.

“I shifted,” Jeri said. “Um, I'm aroused.”

Kate's chuckle came huskier this time. “You always taste like ginger, and a little sweet, too.”

“Your taste reminds me of dew on roses,” Jeri murmured. “Clear, crisp, and light.”

Kate felt her insides give a sympathetic twinge and her crotch warmed. “I love you, Jeri.”

Jeri's exhale sounded slow and deep through the phone line. “I... I'll see you in a few weeks,” she said. Kate detected the melancholy.

She responded quickly. “Why not move up your reservation? Come out as soon as you're free.”

“What about Alex?”

“Call him. Your parents can probably put him on the plane in May.”

Jeri didn't say anything for a long moment. Kate bit her lip to prevent begging. This was Jeri's realm as Alex's mother after all.

At last Jeri spoke. “I'll think about it.”

“Okay. For now, love, sleep. I adore you so much.”

“Good night, Kate. Sleep well.”

“I will. You, too.”

Kate pulled the receiver from her ear and pressed the 'End' button on the phone. With a sigh, she sat up and replaced the receiver on its cradle. Rolling back over, she hugged the second pillow to her body again and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep.

One happy thought accompanied her into dreamland: there was only a little more time until she and Jeri would be together again.

###

**Author's Note:**

> Is there any interest in reading a story after this about K and J's time together in New York?


End file.
